1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning and defogging medical instruments and, more specifically, to an impregnated sponge for cleaning and defogging an endoscope.
2. Description of the Related Prior Art
Medical instruments such as surgical endoscopes require regular and careful cleaning. The shaft of an endoscope must be cleaned of bodily residues accumulated during use. A soiled endoscope lens must not only be cleaned, but also defogged. The cleaning and defogging techniques employed must be effective, and at the same time preserve the efficacy and safety of the endoscope.
One presently available technique for cleaning and defogging surgical endoscopes involves impregnating a sponge with a defogger from a dropper, and then wiping the endoscope with the impregnated sponge. In order to avoid scratching the endoscope lens and/or contaminating the endoscope, the sponge should be lint-free and free of foreign materials. Moreover, the sponge should have high water absorption to promote faster wicking of the solution within the sponge and to provide effective cleaning and defogging action at the point of contact with the endoscope. This unique combination of features is not present in the sponges which are currently used for cleaning and defogging endoscopes.
Additionally, the sponges currently in use must be periodically saturated with the defogger. Moreover, none of the endoscope defogging systems presently available offer the convenience of cleaning the endoscope shaft simultaneously with cleaning and defogging the endoscope lens. Finally, none of the available products provide a method of cleaning and defogging an endoscope as it is inserted or removed from an endoscopic trocar cannula.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,702 to Jackson discloses a sponge for cleaning surgical endoscopes including an axial central bore sized to fit the endoscopic shaft and a slit extending the length of the bore to permit the sponge to fit on the shaft. In Jackson, the endoscope shaft is cleaned by the rubbing action of the sponge against the endoscope. A separate brush attachment is used to clean the lens. However, Jackson, and other products presently available, do not provide an effective, inexpensive apparatus utilizing a sponge with the important features discussed above.
Hence, there is a need for such an effective and safe apparatus for cleaning and defogging surgical endoscopes.